Baiting the Caged Beast
by IndigoDraco
Summary: The world famous Garderobe Circus is in town, and it's two main attractions; the Fallen Angel and the Hell Wolf, are raking in the fans. But what happens when this act uncovers a secret best left alone?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Well, what can I say? I got bored on the bus and started typing this up after thinking of the line 'paced like a lion in a cage', thought I'd share and see what everyone thought before I decide to work on it other than on the bus :) There's another little chapter that I might put up, depends on the reaction of this chapter.**

**Bating the Caged Beast**

_From around the world, the well travelled Garderobe Circus is now coming to Fuuka. Staying a total of fourteen days. Yes! Fourteen days, fourteen nights of entertainment, and fourteen showings of the highly exclaimed Shizuru Viola, the Fallen Angel, and the never before seen Hell Wolf! __Warning: Garderobe Circus is not liable to any injuries gained or belongings broken/ruined during the showing of the Hell Wolf. Small children and easily scared individuals are cautioned to avoid__._

That was the message displayed on the posters and flyers spread around Fuuka and since the first had been sighted the city was abuzz with rumours over this 'Hell Wolf'. They had seen the circus setting up for the past three days, watching keenly as the acts waltzed by. But there was not a single sighting of the Fallen Angel, nor of this mysterious 'Hell Wolf'.

The first night approached. The crowd gathered. The marquee filled. And now they waited on the finely dressed and remarkably handsome Ring Master to step up on the stage. In truth half the women were there _just_ to see the highly sought after Ring Master.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Tonight at Garderobe Circus we will be bringing you sights never before seen by the public." A pause as the crowd tensed in excitement. "First let's give a round of applause for our unoriginal but still much appreciated clowns!"

The Ring Master bowed and stepped aside for the bumbling clowns putting on a ghastly comedy act. The crowd roared and jeered anyway at their brazen attempts of mischief.

Throughout the evening the crowd oo'd and ah'd at the sights brought to them. Strong men, impossible acrobatics, elephants on stands, lions leaping through flaming rings. A wild chase as the clowns were stampeded of the stage by a herd of zebras, their riders whooping with joy. A few seductive dances by the ladies. And of course the juggling act. But what was a circus without its main attraction. Or in this case; _two_ main attractions.

The Ring Master took his place on the raised podium on the stage, the crowd's eyes fixed on him, waiting with bated breath as they waited for the introduction.

He smirked. It never failed to amuse him how tightly woven around his little finger he had them.

"And now for what you have all been waiting for. The crown jewel of Garderobe Circus. Our shining star. Our heavenly goddess on Earth. Ladies and gentlemen, boy and girls. I present to you now my pride and joy, the one and only, Shizuru Viola!"

Instantly the marquee went dark save for one beam of light, and within that beam a single descending figure. Awestruck silence. A true angel was descending from above.

"And from the darkest of depths, from the bowels of the Eart. The Hell Wolf!"

A cage rose from the ground, accompanied by low snarling. The spotlights fell on a large, blue black wolf, hackles raised, and viridian eyes wide.

The crowd was silent in awe, staring at the beast.

"Captured and brought here from across the seas, this great beast is the only one seen by human eyes before. Able to eat an entire cow whole, this creature is ferocious, a man eating monster."

At that precise moment the wolf crashed against the iron bars, shaking the cage. The crowd shrieked.

He couldn't help but grin. This new purchase was going to rake in the cash.

"My darling Shizuru, let us show our lovely audience what this beast is capable of."

"Of course, Ring Master."

She spoke with an accent, sending shivers up the spines of men and women alike.

"Ara are you all having fun?"

"Yes!" the crowd roared.

"Ara then I had best begin." She approached the cage. The beast stilled, sensing her drawing closer. It growled, low and angry.

The crowd screamed at her not to get closer, almost like the audience of a horror film begging the pretty blonde girl not to go into the suspicious abandoned house. They never listened.

The lock on the cage snapped open, the door slowly rising. The beast prowled to the back, watching the door intently.

A clang as the door finished its ascent.

Low to the ground the beast prowled out of the cage. Sniffing the air. Eyes scanning.

A pole from somewhere sneaked out and prodded it. The beast snapped out, fangs bared for the crowd to see. They shrieked and cheered. Some were slowly backing away, other leaning forwards eagerly awaiting the fun to begin

And thus the bating of the beast began.

**A/N If people can't tell, I am against animal cruelty etc etc, so I probably won't be going into any details if this goes where I think it's going (that is if I continue). Anyway thanks for reading, and please review :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Apologies for the delay, I wanted to try and get a bit ahead before posting. Anyway, yes I am going to continue this one, and I hope not to disappoint people. There's a few rough bits here and there, but just ignore those, ne? Thanks all for the interest people have shown so far and without further ado...On with the Show! *Dramatic Flourish***

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><p>Darkness. Greys, that's all there were. Greys, shades between black and white. Shifting masses, and still shapes. One drew close. Too close. Sniff. Smells of sweat, of blood, of something bad. Hackles rising, a snarl coming up from deep down. Threat. This thing is a threat. Bite. Snap. Kill threat. Can't bite threat. Can't reach. Cold branches, but stronger, in the way. Jaws can't get passed. Frustration. Threat still here. Threat not going away.<p>

A strange sound. Harsh. Cruel. Bad. Laughing. Threat is laughing.

Sounds. Incomprehensible sounds. Lips and mouth moving. Creating odd sounds. Speech? Communicating? Harsh sounds. Harsh voice. Not liking the voice. Instincts say bite. Instincts say run. Flight or fight? Cold branches in the way. No way for flight, so must fight.

Can't reach. Must kill. Threat not leaving. Threat still making sounds. Threat's lips twitch, corners turning up, blunt fangs bared. Warning? Challenge? Must answer. No challenge goes unanswered. Hackles rising higher, lips curling back. A growl. A snarl. _Stay back_. That's what those actions meant. Threat not moving back. Staying still. Fangs still bared. Eyes gleaming in triumph. Why? Fight for dominance not started yet. There is no winner until teeth sink into flesh. No winner until blood is drawn. The loser is the one that surrenders. Not fighting. Can't reach. Not answering the challenge. So am loser. Lost. Lost a challenge.

Rage. Rage rising from deep down. Wanting to bite. Need to hurt. To maim. To kill.

Threat going. Threat leaving. Threat gone. Relief. Sadness. Alone. All alone. Want to howl. A hollow sound. So lonely. Waiting here. Laying down. So sad. So…alone.

* * *

><p>The fields lay still and silent in the dark of the night. The three quarter moon was yet to rise in the pitch black sky, and any late time revellers would have to make their way either in darkness or with the help of a lamp. Such lamps were placed all around the festive tents of Garderobe Circus, lighting the way for any of its acts that would make a trip to and from Fuuka.<p>

But those that normally made such trips were snoring peacefully in their cots, murmuring in their alcohol induced sleep. Nothing out of the ordinary moved. Such a simplistic night. A night that did not harbour dark secrets. A night that did not hide mysteries. A night that did not allow illegal happenings to make themselves at home. If only tonight was such a night.

Shizuru sat just within her tent flap, listening to the snores of her tent mates, the constant sounds giving her thoughts a time with which to flow, soaring in and out of the elongated beats.

She would often sit at the exit, watching the night, wondering what it would be like to be out there, alone in such darkness. But every time her thoughts wandered close to making her move her foot twitched, reminding her of why she could not go.

A simple anklet made of beaten copper, much used and abused, the coating of false silver long ago faded. Such a simple thing, and yet so heavy a burden to carry around. She sighed and leaned her head against the trunk, eyes out of focused, images of another place filling them.

The Ring. The place where she acted her part of the perfect woman. The so-called Fallen Angel. She snorted derisively to herself, safe in the knowledge that none could see her mask slip.

The Hell Wolf. Her partner within the Ring, and yet the Fallen Angel must act out such a tragedy with unmasked wickedness and glee. A devil in disguise. Shizuru's frozen heart cracked at the thought of such a fine specimen being broken, used for the entertainment of humans. Thoughts as those were rare and far between for her, and normally spared for the exotic animals broken and trained by the Beast Master. Sometimes not even for they.

Yet never before had an animal caught her attention as the one plaguing her thoughts now. Viridian eyes that watched with mixed fear and rage, tempered with curiosity and suspicion. Shizuru had watched the wolf prowl from the cage, snapping and snarling as the poles prodded at the dark indigo flanks, avidly, like a deer caught in the headlights.

A fine predator that sent shivers of fear down one's spine at the mere sight, prowling death that was just waiting for the lowering guard to strike. Hardly something that set people at ease. And yet…

Shizuru frowned, curious to know more about the latest purchase of the Ring Master. Bought barely a month ago and seen only by the Ring Master and his Beast Master in the intervening time, the Hell Beast was something surrounded by rumours. Even Shizuru, its supposed partner, had only seen it a few hours before the act when the Ring Master had murmured his instructions to her. Training for said act without its second half had proved a challenge in and of itself.

Shizuru shook off the disjointing thoughts, leaving only one to remain. One which may prove to be one of grave folly, and yet her body seemed determined to act on it. A single foolhardy thought.

She must see the beast..._now_.

And so she rose, silent as a cat, the copper anklet cool against her skin, a cold reminder of the wrongness of her actions, and yet they felt so right.

Shizuru kept to the shadows of the camp, avoiding the well lit main thoroughfares. No eyes watched as she snuck under the tent flap containing the beasts, the whispering trees hiding any trace of sound she made.

The creatures were all soundly asleep, save one in the centre, far from the others. A cage standing alone, like an island of solitude within a sea of despair. And within the cage two viridian eyes watched, never shifting from her darkened form.

Shizuru felt a shiver of fear trail up her spine. Never before had she felt such a mix of fear and thrill. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she edged closer, stilling here and there as the shape within shifted causing the eyes to move upwards, more level with her crouched self.

Barely a metre from the cage she halted, gaze locked with the beast's. A low growl was rumbling from the cage, threatening to become louder.

"Shh, easy there. I'm not going to hurt you." Shizuru cooed, hands raised in a placating gesture. The rumbling stopped, the eyes slanting at an angle, as if the beast was tilting its head in confusing. Shizuru could almost hear the condescending tones. _What do you think I am, a wounded dog?_

She smiled warmly, chuckling to herself. _Giving animals voices, whatever next?_

"It's alright. Here, see." She put out her hand close to the cage, her breath catching as something wet and cold touched it. A long inhalation later and a warm tongue lapped against her hand. Shizuru giggled softly.

"I don't think my hand tastes very nice."

The wolf snuffled her hand, as if disagreeing.

Shizuru drew closer, her other hand petting the soft fur of the wolf's head.

She wasn't sure why, but something told her that she could trust the wolf to not bite her, almost like a sixth sense. Foolishness indeed, but…still…

Shizuru pondered on the strange feeling as the wolf leaned further into the caress, and was…was it purring? _A wolf purring?_ Shizuru shook her head in amusement, completely baffled over the strange creature that seemed to have bonded with her.

"What a strange one you are."

The wolf paused in its attempts at coercing her hand to stroke more, before snorting softly and going back to the hand.

"Can you understand me? What am I thinking, of course you can't. A mere figment of my bored imagination." She smiled sadly.

The wolf tapped her chin with its muzzle, viridian eyes filled with…was that concern? Curiouser and curiouser.

"You really are baffling me. We've met each other twice, for a scant amount of hours, and already we seem to understand each other." Shizuru's face broke into a wide, genuine smile. A smile so rarely given that few even knew it existed. A gift from the gods. "You are an enigma to me, my little puppy."

The wolf snorted, head moving backwards in shock, apparently appalled at such a term.

"Ara are you not my puppy?"

The wolf shook its head firmly.

Shizuru smiled, heart warming to the wolf's strange antics. "No, not a puppy. But still mine."

A rumbling came from the wolf and in the semi darkness Shizuru could see its shoulders shifting uneasily. It seemed to be grumbling about her term of possession.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tease you so." Shizuru murmured, scratching behind an ear. _Ara, I'm holding a one side conversation with a wolf. Is this a sign of madness?_ She muttered in her mind.

The ear she was scratching jerked up, pivoting in search of something.

"What is it? Is someone coming?"

The wolf growl softly, head moving away, its attention fixed elsewhere. The head darted back and nudged her away.

"Alright I'm going. Stay here, I'll try to visit again." Shizuru whispered.

The wolf grunted, watching with concern as she left.

Shizuru vanished into the night back to her tent, wondering just what had happened in those all too brief moments.

* * *

><p>"How was your purchase?"<p>

Reito Kanzaki looked at the half shadowed speaker, trying to see more of the features, all without seeming to.

"Well received. I must thank you for tipping me about such a find."

"No need, no need at all. It was my pleasure."

Reito poured himself a glass of wine, swirling it around in the glass. "Why did you tip me about the wolf anyway, Nagi?"

A smirking set of teeth flashed in the dark corner. "Because it was a curiosity I couldn't pass up."

"What are your people planning?"

The smirk widened. "That's for them to know, and us to not."

"Talking in riddles again?"

"I would never speak in anything less."

Reito set the glass down, half drained. "Send those masters of yours a message. First District or not, I will not let any of my acts fall into their hands so long as they are worthwhile. Am I understood?"

A gleaming grin. "Why, of course."

"Get out of my sight then. Our business is concluded."

Reito turned his back decisively, and when he looked behind him at the darkened corner there was no one in its midst.

Reito mulled over his glass of wine, staring deep into the colour. A colour reminiscent of another member of his little entertainment troop.

Shizuru Viola, another tip of Nagi's. in truth there were many little 'tips' from Nagi, and each had been well worth the trouble of obtaining them. Gathered one by one over the years and tricked into an unbreakable contract with him, and now those twelve investments were paying off exceedingly well.

He smiled happily, well and truly satisfied with the money tallies. There was nothing quite like seeing a nice large divide between the income and outcome, particularly when it was in the positive.

He leaned back, bringing the glass to his lips and taking a long draw. Life was good. It was very good.

* * *

><p>In a land far distant, a range of mountains hummed with the Wolf's Song. Their private serenade to the moon. A song filled with sorrow and pain.<p>

Atop those ranges a wolf pack ran, loping across the snow, snapping at the shifting drifts, howling on the protruding outcrops. Running. Always running forwards. Forwards to the one taken by humans.

And following behind the racing wolves a small group of humans trekked, swapping from vehicle to vehicle depending on the terrain. Continuously following the wolves.

"They seem to have found something, Miss Alyssa."

The young woman – who could have barely been out of her teens – glanced up from the computer sitting on her lap. She nodded absentmindedly.

"Yes, let us hope they have found our missing cub."

"Do you think that the cub survived?"

The golden haired woman turned her full attention to her companion. "She is of the Searrs Pack, Miyu. The wolves of the Searrs Pack are far superior to normal wolves. I would have thought you'd learnt that having studied them with me for the passed two years."

Miyu bowed her head. "Of course, Miss Alyssa. I was only voicing a concern."

Alyssa looked out the window of the helicopter, catching brief glimpses of the Searrs Pack – her pack – below them through the foliage of the trees.

"None will hurt my pack, Miyu, and live to tell the tale."

Miyu wisely stayed silent. For even she, a human with the understandings of a robot, could understand the underlying threat in that statement.

"They will rue the day they ever heard about my cub. And let them pray to whatever god they worship that they never learn of our world, for even hell itself shall join in the slaughter."

The interior of the helicopter dropped by several degrees and the unique cyborg felt the need to shiver under the piercing blue gaze.

And outside, a single howl filled the night. Louder, stronger and more pained filled than the others that had come before.

_Hold on my cub. Wait for us and survive, my Natsuki._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N So I thought I'd better upload this while I had some fraction of internet. I am currently in the middle of the highlands, so internet is severely lacking, hence I have no idea when the next update will be. This is a little rushed as I just couldn't resist the chance when I saw that lovely internet connecting. Hope this answers some questions about Natsuki. Thanks all for reading this, and thanks again for the reviews/favs/alerts, and enjoy the next chapter.**

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><p>Sticks poking. Prodding. Bite and snap. Snarl and tear. No flesh to reach, only wood. Wood splinters. Pointy pieces piercing skin. Hurts. Irritates. So annoying. Anger. Rage. Hearing that voice. Hearing <em>him<em>. Black man. He carries a…a shadow. Shadow bad. Shadow cruel, harsh. They do not see it. They _cannot_ see it. They ignore the darkness, the smudge. The stain of black. Bright eyes gleaming. Triumphant and victorious. Must bite, must kill. Threat. Always a threat. To pack. To self. To…to _her_.

Catching her scent. Far above, waiting to fall as before. Always this act? Will they never stop replaying this same scene? Stilling, waiting. Anger and rage forgotten. Warning snarl in place, hackles raised at those around. They never learn. Want to bite, to punish. Never left alone. Always trying to rile. Always fully failing. They will never raise the beast from within, like something to be baited. Yet still they try.

Ears picking up unusual movement. The crowd was…murmuring? Whispering? Why? What could have happened to make them act as such? Our scene not come, _he_ is still talking. Want to bite. To make clear who is dominant. Who is alpha. Not him. Never him. Him nothing. Nothing but dog food. Worthless.

He has fallen silent, looking up expectantly. The lights dim. She comes. From above, descending down to us. A strange sight, bringing forth strange feelings. The moon? When is the moon? Curses. Too distracted to keep track. Must know. If tonight be the night…may she not come.

Dread, panic, fear. Terror. Must not let her see, must not let her know. Must keep her away. Distance is needed. But in a cage? A cage of iron bars and locked doors? Never. Never to escape. Must learn, must think. Must escape. Two moons gone before. Two chances. Cannot let them know. Must run. Must get out. But cannot leave her. Must not leave her behind.

Must wait…but not alone. No, never alone now. We stand together, we wait together, we run together. We are together.

* * *

><p>It seemed like so little time had passed since Shizuru had crept into the tent and met with the wolf. And in truth it had. Eight days was surely not long enough for any sort of bond to form, and yet…<p>

Shizuru focused on the crowd beneath her, trying to shake the thoughts filling her head. Every night since then she had sneaked a few brief minutes or hours with her wolf, but none seemed long enough for her. Curiosity about how the wolf had made it into the Ring Master's hands, the land it had come from…so many questions, and none without answers.

The crowd roared and Shizuru shook her head, trying to focus. The Ring Master was saying something. Was it important? It must have been if the lights hadn't been dimmed yet.

"…and it gives me the greatest pleasure to announce to you, here and now, of Garderobe Circus' extended visit to Fuuka!"

An excited whispering rippled through the masses. Queries such as 'why were they staying?' and 'how long would they stay for?' were shot left right and centre. Shizuru smirked to herself. Before the show was done the rumours would be flying. The smirk turned to a frown. Why _were_ they staying longer? Never before had the Ring Master stayed longer than their initial duration, nor had they ever shortened their stay. They stayed and left at the set date and time. It was routine. It was normal. This wasn't normal. Shizuru did not like not normal.

The Ring Master raised his hands, placating to the crowd. The whispers calmed, the shifting stopped.

"And now that I have caught your attention once more." A drawn out pause. "I present to you the final act of this evening, God's divine gift to us mortals, the being whose figure he lovingly carved with his own hands, the Fallen Angel!"

Shizuru shut out all the rest. She would act her part to perfection. For her. For her wolf.

She began her descent into the darkness.

* * *

><p>Reito fell into the chair, his face twisted into a sneer.<p>

"Are you going to tell me why I had to extend my visit to this cess pit?"

Two pink eyes gleamed in the darkened corner. "Now why would I spoil the surprise?"

"What surprise?" Reito snapped at Nagi.

A grin flashed in the shadows.

"No, I simply can't spoil it for you."

"Are you going to tell me anything useful tonight?"

"I won't tell you anything, but…" a thick tome landed with a solid _thud!_ on the table, causing the spindly legs to wobble dangerously.

"And _what_ is _that_?" Reito asked with disgust, flicking a finger at the offending book.

The grin widened. "A little light reading you might say."

Reito read the title and a black brow rose. "'A Hundred Tales of Beasts'. What is this, Nagi?"

"Like I said; a little light reading."

"You call _this_ light?"

"Most certainly. It's light and entertaining, and definitely keeps away the boredom that comes with prolonged visits of any place."

"And you want me to read it all?"

An affirmative grunt from the corner.

"Any particular reason why I have to read the damn thing?"

"You'll see, Reito, you'll see."

Reito growled in frustration, turning away to slosh himself a half glass of wine. He knew that by the time he turned around the mysterious and annoying brat would have long since vanished.

"Rue the day, Nagi. I will make you pay for all your cryptic talk."

* * *

><p>"Miss Alyssa?"<p>

The golden haired woman groaned and rolled over, slapping away the hand that was trying to rouse her.

"Miss Alyssa?"

"Five more minutes."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Then what is it?"

"Something waits for you."

Alyssa turned bleary eyes to her assistant.

"Some_thing_?"

Miyu shrugged. "I'm not quite sure how to explain it." She pointed out the window.

Alyssa yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before looking out the window. She swore, springing into a flurry of movement.

"Drat, what's the date? Never mind that, what's the phase of the moon? Drat again. Miyu stay here, I'll be right back."

She leapt out of the moving truck, falling softly into the snow. She muttered curses all the way to the strange darkened shadow that Miyu had seen. She came to a halt, watching with mixed respect and caution.

"You have forgotten."

Alyssa shivered at the tone. Icy, unconcerned and utterly unforgiving.

"Not forgotten, merely overlooked."

Two forest green eyes flashed dangerously.

"Best not to overlook such things again."

Alyssa bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Do you want me to take the younger ones?"

"You know you must. If we are to continue the hunt we cannot have them slowing us down. Carry them through the night, but before dawn leave them in the snow."

"Where do I pick them up?"

"They already come."

And true to those words, shadows were already detaching themselves from the mass. It was only two, but those two were still scowling.

"Mind yourselves, pups." The shadow retorted, instantly silencing their grumbling. "Look after them, Searrs, I will come for them before dawn."

Alyssa nodded. "No harm will befall them."

She received no reply; she didn't expect one. She led the silent 'pups' to the truck, showing them inside like she had for the past two times. Two months since the youngest pup went missing. Two chances so far for the secret to be found and tonight was to be the third. Alyssa sighed, wishing for things to go back to being simple. Or at least simpler.

"You two going to talk to me tonight?" Alyssa asked, half hoping, half dreading that they would.

The black haired male snorted derisively, turning his back firmly, huddled next to his pack mate in the furthest corner.

"Not even a comprehensible word?"

The blonde male just shrugged before settling down.

Alyssa studied them discretely.

Both were nothing spectacular, almost ordinary. Both bore spiky hair, though the blonde had strange sideburns. Alyssa had been half tempted to ask if he was trying to grow a beard. Although that was a laughable query as they had no control over their facial hair.

The black had a small scar on his left cheek and Alyssa wondered how he had come by it.

"Am I getting the silent treatment again?"

No answer.

"So be it. Miyu wake me an hour before dawn so those two can get off, I'd hate for them to jump and get hurt."

"Certainly, Miss Alyssa.

"Oh, and if they start looking hungry, there's still some meat in the fridge. Best feed them now before they look at us and start drooling."

Two low growls came from the back.

"Wouldn't want the pups to get a taste for human flesh."

Well used to her mistress' strange humour Miyu went about her duties, putting the slabs of meat on plates and leaving them in front of the pups with a murmured 'enjoy'.

They sniffed at the meat and, finding it satisfactory, tore into it with vigour.

Alyssa sighed and muttered under her breath. "I wish they would gain some manners soon."

Miyu's face remained impassive, though her lip did twitch.

Alyssa turned in her seat and curled up, pulling the blanket up. It did not take long before she drifted off into sleep to the sounds of happy chewing and the soft purr of the engine.

* * *

><p>"Forgive me."<p>

Ruby eyes spilled precious tears. Shizuru Viola sat crumpled against the bars of the cage, head on the cool iron.

A rough tongue darted out, lapping gently at those tears. She managed a small smile.

"Always so strong, my wolf. Never fearing the lash. Always going out there even if it terrifies you."

The wolf snuffled, pacing in the cage.

"I can't release you, you know that. The Ring Master has all the keys with him when there isn't a performance."

The wolf snorted, shaking its large head.

"Come here you silly thing."

Complying with the request the wolf drew close enough to be petted, eyes closed in contentment. Shizuru giggled softly, enjoying their now nightly routine.

"You _are_ just a big puppy, aren't you?" she teased, eyes gleaming with mirth.

The wolf snorted again, rising slightly off its front paws before thumping back down.

"Ara? So you're not a little puppy but a big strong wolf? Do big strong wolves want their bellies rubbed?"

Tilting the blue black head in thought, the wolf nodded.

Shizuru chuckled, the sound melodious to the sensitive ears, as the wolf rolled over onto its back, presenting its soft underbelly. It growled in satisfaction.

"What brought you to these shores, my little wolf?"

It was whispered in query, but the speaker knew that no answer would be forthcoming. That was the way between her and her wolf. They did their performance, acting as enemies; she the heroic warrior maiden and the wolf the ferocious beast, fighting it out between them. But in private, away from the prying eyes of the audience and the other circus acts, they acted entirely different. Particularly the wolf.

She was not the ferocious beast that would snap at any passerby, but rather like a big puppy, making those sad puppy eyes through the bars at the only person as caged as she.

The wolf froze beneath the caressing fingers, her attention drawn by something.

"What is it? Is someone coming?"

The wolf snuffled, pawing at her nose. She pushed Shizuru's hand away, forcing the tawny haired beauty to move back. Shizuru could almost hear the words in her mind.

Go, run.

She did so. With one last look at the watching wolf she vanished from sight.

The wolf sighed and looked up.

Through a gap in the roofing she could see the starry sky, but what drew her attention was the reflected light of the sun from the moon, a pale white disk in the pitch black sky.

She stretched, all tension in her limbs vanishing. Tonight the curse would be lifted for a single night. For a single night the wolf would know what it was like to be human.

The light of the full moon fell upon the wolf that waited patiently, limbs spread in preparation for the pain. It began.

The blue black fur began to recede, being replaced with pearly white skin. Muscles tore, ligaments stretched, bones cracked and joints popped, realigning themselves. The muzzle pushed back into a small nose, the fangs blunting to teeth gritted in pain. No sound escaped passed those lips which turned from black to soft pink.

She lay there, panting heavily. Every time the change took her, it ached but she was slowly getting used to it. Every full moon a change was forced, and every time she feared exposure. She would not let her pack be threatened. She'd rather die than let them face such a risk.

She rose on unsteady legs, using the bars of her prison as a support. She stood there, bare for the world to see, bathed in the light of the cursed full moon.

The legends had it wrong.

Humans did not turn into wolves with the full moon, but rather wolves turned into humans.

She turned her head towards the flap through which the woman had left.

"May you never discover my secret, Shizuru, the one that I must protect, my most precious one." She whispered huskily.

The night would be a long one. Her body could still feel the ghost of that accursed touch; yearned for it almost. The draw backs of being in a human form. The pleasure she took in such a caress brought on strange feelings and sensations.

Humans. Truly a strange species, and yet no stranger than the wolves that transformed into them.

As she had every full moon among the humans she waited, senses on high alert with bated breath, dreading any sound.

Dawn came, the moon's influence gone. And with it the human shape, leaving only a blue black wolf behind.


End file.
